Scaffold unit



Patented Apr. 20, '1943 scAFFoLD UNIT John C. Halter-ty, Evansville, Ind., assigner to The Steel Scaffolding Company, Inc., Evansville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application November 13, 1942, Serial No. 465,431

5 Claims.

It hasv been common practice during the past several years to produce scaffolding of indefinite height and length by using inverted U-shaped units which may be vertically stacked and horizontally connected by cross .bracing so that planking may be supported on the horizontal elements of the U-shaped units to provide runways for workmen at successive heights in multiples of the vertical dimension of said units.

In many instances, the ultimate structure to l be fabricated by the aid of such a scaffolding is of such character that operations must be performed at levels inconveniently reachable by Workmen supported on runways which are spaced equal with the scaffold units, as, for instance, in the fabrication of ships.

The objectl of my present invention is to provide an improved scaffold unitof such character that general runways may be established at successive levels for the transportation of materials lengthwise of the scaffold and, at the same time, supplemental runways may be readily established at various intermediate levels immediately adjacent theV ultimate structure which is to be fabricated, the arrangement being such that the workmen engaged in the fabrication work may readily adjust their working levels without interfering with the general runways for the transportation of materials.

llihe accompanying drawing illustrates an emzontal beams or rungs I6, I6, I6, I6, I6 connect' ing legs Il! and I5; diagonal brace I1 extending from beam I3 to leg II; horizontal braces I8, I8 between leg II and brace II; a vertical pin I9 rising from beam I2 and conveniently aligned Withleg I5 and sized to permit the lower end of another leg I5 to telescope thereover; and a plurality of threaded lugs 20, carried by legs Il) and Il to receive diagonal braces 2|, 2I by which the units- U may be connected in horizontal pairs so as to produce a scaffold of indefinite length.

,Dowel pins 22, 22 nt in the upper ends of legs I0 and II- to receive the lower ends of other legs I0 and II so that the units U may be stacked vertically to a desired height.

Flankingv 25 may be supported on beams I2 to form a general runway, legs II and I5 being spaced from each other enough to permit the ready passage of a wheel-barrow therebetween without interference by brace II, beam I3 being placed high enough above the lower ends of legs I0, II and I5 to afford head room for the average workman.

Flanking 26 may be supported at desired intermediate levels on rungs I6, or on beam I2 between .pin I9 and 22 to supplement planking 25, and pin I9 insures against such misplacement of planking 25 as would interfere With workmen standing on planking 26 when at intermediate levels.

I claim as my invention:

1. An integral scaiold unit comprising a pair of vertical legs connected at one end by a hori` zontal beam, an intermediate leg spaced from one of said pair of legs an amount sufcient to aiord trafiic space therebetween and spaced from the other leg a lesser amount suilicient -to aord Standing room and connected to said other leg by a plurality :of vertically-spaced horizontal rungs. and bracing means between one of the first-mentioned legs and the beam so placed as not to unduly restrict the said trafc space. l

2. An integral scaffoldum't comprising a pair of vertical legs lconnected at one end by a horizontal beam, an intermediate leg spaced from one of said pair o'f legs an amount suicient to ailord traic space therebetween and spaced from the other leg a lesser amount sufficient to aiiord standing room and connected to said other, leg by a plurality of vertcally-spaced horizontal rungs, bracing means between one of the rstmentioned Alegs and the beam so placed as not to unduly restrict the said trafila space, and a pin projecting upwardly from the beam in the regionA of tlhe intermediate leg.

3. An integral scaffold unit comprising a pair of tubular vertical legs and an intermediate vertical leg having an open lower end and positioned to afford traffic space between it and one `of said tubular legs and to afford standing room between the planes of said two last-mentioned legs normal to the unit, a plurality of vertically-spaced horizontal rungs connecting the intermediate leg and the more closely adjacent tubular leg, a horizontal beam extending between the upper ends of said legs, bracing means between said beam and the leg more distantly spaced from the intermediate leg and so placed as not yto unduly restrict the traine space, means associated with the tubular legs by which they may be laterally interlocked with superimposed legs of a similar unit, and a pin projecting upwardly from the beam in position to receive the intermediate leg of a super. imposed similar unit.

4. An integral scaiold unit comprising a pair of tubular vertical legs and an intermediate vertical leg positioned to afford trailic space between it and one of said tubular legs and to ailord standing room between the planes of said two last-mentioned legs normal to the unit, a plurality of vertically-spaced horizontal rungs connecting the intermediate leg and the more closely adjacent tubular leg, a horizontal beam extending between the upper ends of said legs, bracing means between said beam and the leg more distantly spaced from the'intermediate leg and'so placed as not to unduly restrict the traillc space, and means associated with the tubular legs by which they may be laterally interlocked with l5` superimposed legs of a similar unit.

5. An integral scaffold unit comprising a pair of vertical legs, a. beam connecting the upper ends of said legs, a plurality of vertically-spaced nn- 'gers carried by one leg and projecting in the plane of said legs toward the other leg but falling short thereof a distance affording a trame space between said last-mentioned leg and the adjacent ends oi' said llingers, bracing means Ibetween said last-mentioned leg and the beam so positioned as not to unduly restrict the trame space, and means carried by said beam to restrict latenl shifting oi' planking placed on the beam over the tramo space to a position over the region of said vertically-spaced lingers.

JOHN C. HALFERTY. 

